Volume 10 - 4th August 2023

From Our Principal

This week, we had a visit from the School Supervisor, Brett Shackleton, whose job is to support Leichhardt State School on its journey to being the best school it can be. I am proud of the work our students and staff are doing on a daily basis and looked forward to sharing it with Brett. I thought that you would enjoy reading about Brett’s impressions of Leichhardt State School, so I have included a short quote of the feedback we received:

I left the school inspired and affirmed that you and your team are having a very real and sustained impact on the young people in your care and in your classrooms. It seemed to me that you are all determined to create a safe place for children and adults, a place where mutual respect and high expectations go hand in hand. The improvement trend has been lifting every year since 2019 and in the last 12 months the A-C percentage lifting from 68% to 74% tells a story of impact.

Our Leichhardt Team of teachers and support staff understand that we would not be able to have this impact without the support from the Department of Education and our parents and carers. I would like to use this opportunity to thank you all for supporting us each day to provide world-class education to our students in a safe and supportive environment.

School Opinion Survey is currently open to all parents and students in Years 5 and 6. All parents have received an email reminding them to participate in the survey. Your participation will ensure the school is aware of your opinion and able to respond proactively to any areas of need. Sincere thanks to all parents who took the time to complete the survey, and thank you in advance to all those who find time to do it by 18 August. Your opinion matters to us.

As has been shared in the last edition of the Newsletter, please remember that the Federal Government has announced that 30,000 eligible Australian families with school age children (K-12) will receive free NBN-powered broadband internet at home for 12-months under the School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI). To be eligible for the School Student Broadband Initiative, families must:

• Have a child living at home that is enrolled in an Australian school in 2023.
• Not have an active nbn® network internet service at home. Having a mobile internet service does not affect eligibility. 
• Be referred by a nominating organisation. Federal MPs and Senators are also able to nominate families for the SSBI.
• Live in a premises that can access the nbn

If you fit the eligibility criteria, please contact Trish Ferguson, Community Support Coordinator, to obtain forms and support to fill them out, if needed.

Thank you for your support and partnership!

From Our Deputy Principal - Teaching and Learning

Notices for Term 3

School Opinion Survey

The annual School Opinion Survey is open and will close on 18 August, 2023. We encourage you to take this opportunity to have your say about what our school does well, and how we can improve.

An invitation to complete the Parent/Caregiver Survey will have been emailed to one parent/caregiver per family in the week beginning 17 July.  The invitation will have been sent from the Department of Education, not the school, and it will have the subject line School Opinion Survey for parents and caregivers, 2023.  Please check your junk email folders if you cannot find it.  The survey will take approximately 5 minutes using a computer, tablet or smart phone. 

Parents/caregivers who do not have access to the internet at home are welcome to complete their survey online at the school.  Please contact Mrs Elena Finlay (Deputy Principal – Teaching and Learning) at efinl9@eq.edu.au if this support is required or if you have any questions regarding the survey.

Year 5 Planetarium and Botanic Garden Science Excursion consent forms to be returned to the office by Friday 4 August.  Excursion takes place on Thursday, 10 August.

Prep Hearing Screening to take place on Thursday, 24 August.  Please return consent forms to the Office as soon as possible.

If you have a child in Year 1 to Year 6 whose hearing you are concerned about, please contact Mrs Elena Finlay (Deputy Principal – Teaching and Learning) on efinl9@eq.edu.au.

Premier’s Reading Challenge ends on Friday, 25 August.  Please return Premier’s Reading Challenge consent forms and completed reading forms to the Office as soon as possible.

Book Week Parade to take place Friday, 25 August in the Hall at 8:50am.

The theme of this year’s Book Week is Read. Grow. Inspire.

Sight Word Success @ Leichhardt

Why Are Sight Words So Important?

Sight words are a foundational component of reading fluency and comprehension. These are words that appear frequently in texts and do not necessarily follow regular phonetic patterns. In fact, research suggests that approximately 50% of words on any given page are sight words. Mastering these words is essential as they form the building blocks for reading and writing proficiency.

At Monday’s Week 3 Assembly, Jozenna (1B) and Kairen (2A) received certificates for their success at reading the First 100 Magic Words with automaticity.  Well done, students!

If your child is still learning to read, please encourage them to practise their sight words at home.  All students, Prep to Year 6, are encouraged to engage in daily home reading for 10 minutes.  If you have any questions regarding your child’s reading development, please contact your child’s teacher.

Ipswich Library Visit @ Leichhardt

With Book Week coming up in only 4 weeks, it was lovely to have the Ipswich Library Staff, Krystal, Michaela and Bonnie, visit to share with our P-4 students and staff, current popular children’s fiction.  Students thoroughly enjoyed the sessions with the library staff and I am sure now have even more ideas for their Book Week parade costume on Friday 25 August!

With the Ipswich Story Sports competition coming up in early September, the Ipswich Library Staff’s visit with the Year 5 and 6 students was in the format of a short ‘inhouse’ story sports competition.  Over the hour visit, six formidable teams battled it out writing gripping first lines and rapping nursery rhymes. 

Below are pictures of the Ipswich Library staff, students listening to presentations and the winning Year 5 and 6 Story Sports team.  Well done, students!

2023 Premier’s Reading Challenge

The 2023 Premier’s Reading Challenge has only 21 days to go!  Here are the students who have successfully completed the challenge and are still reading to see how many more challenge forms they can complete!  Well done, students!

Skateboarding Champ @ Leichhardt

On the weekend, Harrison (4B), competed in Rumble SB, a national skateboarding competition.  Harrison came first in all street events and, as a result, will be competing at a major skateboarding competition in Mackay later this year!

Well done, Harrison!

From Our Head of Department - Teaching and Learning

Nominations for our bookwork competition are still open! Please encourage your child to nominate their bookwork to have a chance of winning some great prizes!

Well done to the students who have been showing such pride in their notetaking by using organisational tools to help them. It has been wonderful to see some of the senior students starting to 'A' Add to their notes. This revisiting of their notes, for example by highlight important information assists with remembering the new content and is a fantastic habit to get into as they prepare for high school.

From Our Head of Special Education

Dear parents, guardians and carers

Re: Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:

• year of schooling
• category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
• level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.

This information assists schools to:

• formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
• consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
• develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability.

The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy (https://www.education.gov.au/privacy-policy).

Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal (https://www.nccd.edu.au).

If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact the school.

Kind regards

Maja Bogicevic

Principal

From Our Community Suppport Coordinator

Just a few things that I would like to bring to your attention: -

1. When you are late to school please bring your child to the Student Reception to be marked present.
2. If you are picking up your child/children early please remember to have them signed out.
3. If your child/children are absent from school there are a number of ways to contact us: -

• sms 0429464792
• absentee line 3813 3222 choose option 1
• school stream app

1. Please remember to label school items with the child’s name. Items include bags, clothing, hats, lunch boxes, drink bottles.

Attendance matters at Leichhardt State School, below are just some of the key reasons why it is so important children attend school:

• To learn.
• To have fun.
• To make new friends.
• To experience new things in life.
• To achieve.
• To develop new skills.
• To build confidence and self-esteem.

If there is any way I can help you and your child with improving their attendance just get in touch with the school or email me pferg18@eq.edu.au

Here is some information that might help you if you are looking for assistance.

Prep 2024

From Our Indigenous Community Coordinator

Yoway (Hello)

This term has been very busy, full of dancing singing, culture learning and lots of celebrating.

The Deadly Dancers were busy this term and we attended many schools and organisations to help celebrate NAIDOC day for 2023.

Leichhardt State School Deadly dancers helped celebrate our 3^rd year at the Marburg annual race meet. Also adding to the many schools that participated such as - Mt Crosby S.S, Ipswich West S.S, Brisbane Central S.S.

 The Deadly Dancers were asked to perform for the Elders Morning Tea at East Ipswich, which some students got to perform in front of their grandparents. It was enjoyed by over 30 Elders in the Ipswich community. All students proudly talked about who they are and where they come from and what they enjoy most about Leichhardt State School. Leaving the Elders with some memorable moments.

Villa Maria Nursing home elderly came, the students sang danced and made weaved art with the Deadly Dancers and lots of questions were asked and enjoyed by both Elderly and students. They enjoyed it so much that they would like to come back.

Leichhardt State School NAIDOC Day was bigger and better again this year. Big thank you to the wonderful Miss Emma who amazingly stepped up and did a fantastic job with arrangements. Also organising and taking care of our elders on the day.  To the staff who helped with the setting up, thank you, you did a fantastic job on the day and from the emails I received from staff and letters written from students it was enjoyed by all. Thank you to the many staff who gave feedback. To the P & C ladies who provided the wonderful food, a big thank you as the Elders and special guest absolutely loved it. Thank you for your contribution and making our Elders feel special on the wonderful day.

The Yuggera Language lessons is thriving, it is so wonderful to hear the students using it when they begin their lesson and around the school. Uncle Henry and Aunty Lareena Thompson we thank you for sharing this wonderful language and supporting the students at Leichhardt State School with Traditional First Nations Language.

 I would also like to commend the wonderful students (Deadly Dancers) who continually show pride and share their knowledge with all, behaving and represent our wonderful school with pride.

Thursday the Leichhardt Deadly Dancers were invited into the Ipswich City Council Office to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Children’s Day.  Councillors Fechner, Councillor Milligan and Councillor Kunzelmann along with members of the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Employees working group, celebrated with Leichhardt students a special tour of the Children’s Library following tour of the Council chambers a view of Ipswich City from the top of the Council Building. Students had the most amazing day with them teaching the Councillors and staff a dance which was fun for all. With all having an amazing lunch followed by a Deadly cake. Ending with gifts for our Deadly School.

These are the places Leichhardt Deadly Dancers have been in Term 2 and 3. 

Multicultural Health Symposium 2023

Marburg Race Meet 2023

Ipswich Elders Morning Tea – East Ipswich

Villa Maria Nursing Home - Eastern Heights

Early Years - Ipswich City Library

Ipswich City Council – Ipswich council

Mt Crosby State Primary School

Payne Road State Primary School

Ipswich West State Primary School

Brisbane State Primary School

From Our Teachers

Year 1

Year 1 have been learning all about natural and constructed environments in HASS. There have been some wonderful discussions around these topics and lots of excitement when we have been on hunts around the school! This week they drew a natural environment.

We still encourage your child to practice their reading and writing each day. Reading Eggs is great for this!

Year 2

Year 2's have been very busy.

-  In Maths, we have been practising using objects and putting them into equal groups;

-  In Technology, we have been using Bee-Bots to avoid simple obstacles and 

- We visited Aunty Marly and went on a tour of the beautiful gardens.

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Year 2 Technology 

Learning through digital technology

Year 2s are learning to manipulate Bee-bots as part of their digital technology lessons this term.

During the lessons, the students demonstrated excellent skills to sequence and program a series of steps to navigate a Bee-Bot through a complex route. The students got excellent opportunities to understand the direction terminologies such as move forward, move backward, turn right, turn left etc.

Year 5 Science 

It has been fantastic to see the Year 5's enjoying learning and researching the Solar System! This week we have been focusing on how the Sun and the Moon appear in the sky and their movement. Here the students are working in teams to collect information and then present it back to the class. Some students have even been borrowing books and researching in their own time. Well done, Year 5!

Out In Our Community

Please note that the below workshops and programs are not affiliated with Leichhardt State School.